Link to the research report →
About this survey:
Survey question: What is your company's commitment to evolving the marketing and sales process to incorporate advanced digital tools?
Survey period: November - December 2022
Notes on data:
Analyst Notes: Where does B2B companies’ commitment to evolving play out?
While the majority of companies boost a commitment to evolving the marketing and sales technology stack, survey responses hint that this commitment may be disproportionate between the two departments.
An Ironpaper survey found that over 50% of B2B marketing and sales professionals believe their company’s commitment to evolving the marketing and sales process to incorporate advanced digital tools is “Very Good,” and another 33% find it “Excellent.”
Buying groups today include more people, their needs are changing, and budgets are increasingly being reduced or cut altogether, so utilizing all of the tools available is crucial for B2B marketers and salespeople. Advanced digital tools, such as robust CRMs, automation tools, and advanced reporting and insight tools, can give marketing and sales the data they need to understand their buyers better. This data includes what messaging resonates with buyers and insights into how to nurture leads effectively through the funnel. The apparent commitment that so many companies have to incorporate advanced digital tools is a positive sign.
However, the response to another survey question made us wonder if this commitment is disproportionately playing out in favor of one department.
When asked what kind of CRM they use, two-thirds of marketers said they use legacy systems, such as spreadsheets, retrofitted enterprise resource planning (ERP), or a software platform separate from the system sales is using. Salespeople are 59% less likely than marketers to use legacy systems.
So, while B2B businesses may be committed to incorporating advanced digital tools into their process, there seems to be an unbalanced approach to where these tools are allocated, with companies being more likely to invest in a CRM or other advanced digital tools for their sales team.
It’s not uncommon for B2B companies to see their sales team as “revenue-generating” while viewing marketing as a cost center. However, an unwillingness to provide the same resources to the marketing team could result in an unbalanced, lower ROI than when marketers are given access to the same tools and resources.
